metrology for fuel cell manufacturing eric stanfield mel fuel cell project manager

Metrology for Fuel Cell Manufacturing


Eric Stanfield

MEL Fuel Cell Project Manager

Channel Experimental Parameters



Background Information

Currently Most Popular:

PEMFC

DMFC(PEM)

SOFC

Others:

MCFC

PAFC

AFC

Applications: Transportation – PEM, Stationary – SOFC, PEM, Portable & Aux - All


Engineering Data → Tolerance DeterminationMeasurements, Standards, and Approaches to Meeting Contractual

Traceability RequirementsProcess Control: Sensor Evaluation and Techniques

Reference Metrology

Catalyst Coated:

Membranes (CCM)

Gas Diffusion Layers (GDE)

Bipolar Plates

Metal

Carbon

Precompetitive Manufacturing Issues

Metrology for Fuel Cell ManufacturingMetrology for F uel C ell Manufacturing

Project GoalAccelerate commercialization by enabling the transition to cost-

effective and predictable, high-volume fuel cell production.


Effort Overview

TimelineOctober 1, 2007

September 30, 2011

Barriers1

B. Lack of High-Speed Bipolar Plate Manufacturing Processes

F. Low Levels of Quality Control and Inflexible Processes

1 Manufacturing R&D and Fuel Cells sections of the DOE Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and Infrastructure Technologies Program Multi-Year Research, Development and Demonstration Plan

Overall Budget

Past Funding• FY07

– DOE $0K– NIST (ATP) $200K

• FY08– DOE $300K– NIST $300K

Under New Interagency Agreement FY09-FY11

• FY09– DOE $500K (9/09)– NIST Est. $100K+

• FY10 – DOE $500K (~3/10)– NIST $100K +

• FY11– DOE $500K (Anticipated)


Subprojects and Objectives• P1 Cause-and-Effect: Flow Field Plate Manufacturing Variability and it’s Impact on Performance

Objective: Develop engineering data relating performance variation to manufacturing process parameters and variability.

• P2 Non-Contact Sensor Evaluation for Bi-polar Plate Manufacturing Process Control and Smart Assembly of Fuel Cell Stacks.

Objective: (1) Identify and evaluate the capability and uncertainty of commercially available non-contact, high-speed scanning technologies for applicability to bi-polar plate manufacturing process control. (2) Using capabilities identified in (1) demonstrate smart assembly concept.

• P3 Optical Scatterfield Metrology for Online Catalyst Coating Inspection of PEM (Fuel Cell) Soft Goods.

Objective: (1) Evaluate the suitability of Optical Scatterfield Microscopy as a viable measurement tool for in-situ process control of catalyst coatings. (2) Provide reference metrology support under the NREL/NIST Collaboration


Funding Breakdown by Subproject

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

FY09 FY10 FY11

$ (

in $

100K

)

P1: Mfg Variability

P2: Non-Contact/SmartAssembly

P3: OSM/NRELCollaboration


Subproject #1 Overview

Cause-and-Effect: Flow Field Plate Manufacturing Variability and its Impact on Performance

Approach: Using a statistically based design-of-experiments, fabricate experimental “cathode” side flow field plates with various well defined combinations of flow field channel dimensional variations; then through single cell fuel cell performance testing using a well defined protocol, quantify the performance affects, if any, and correlate these results into required dimensional fabrication tolerance levels.

NIST

• Dimensional Metrology• Manufacturing Metrology• Statistical Engineering

LANL

• Operational Knowledge• Advanced Testing Facilities


Design of Experiments:Full Factorial 24-1

24-1 Fractional Factorial Design with replicated center point (k=4,n=10) (donmez.xls)

Sidewall StraightnessSidewall StraightnessBottom StraightnessSidewall Taper

Amplitude Phase Amplitude Sequence Drawing

Part(index) X1 X2 X3 X4 Machining(Brian) Measuring(Eric) Perf. Testing(Dave) Cross-Section Top

9 0(25m) 0(90) 0(25m) 0(5) 1 1 1

3 -1(0) +1(180) -1(0) +1(10) 2 2 2

2 +1(50m) -1(0) -1(0) +1(10) 3 3 3

4 +1(50m) +1(180) -1(0) -1(0) 4 4 4

8 +1(50m) +1(180) +1(50m) +1(10) 5 5 5

5 -1(0) -1(0) +1(50m) +1(10) 6 6 6

7 -1(0) +1(180) +1(50m) -1(0) 7 7 7

10 0(25m) 0(90) 0(25m) 0(5) 8 8 8

6 +1(50m) -1(0) +1(50m) -1(0) 9 9 9

1 -1(0) -1(0) -1(0) -1(0) 10 10 10


Reference Metrology for Reverse Engineering and Mfg Parameter Verification




MEL/EEELSingle Cell Performance Testing


Subproject #2 Overview

Non-Contact Sensor Evaluation for Bipolar Plate Manufacturing Process Control and Smart Assembly of Fuel Cell Stacks.

Approach: The development and/or evaluation of high-speed non-contact sensors and systems for application in process control of bipolar plates.

The evaluation will include:

• Suitability based on typical plate materials and methods of fabrication

• Dimensional parameters of interest

• Development of measurement protocols

• sensor evaluation

• plate evaluation

• Accuracy evaluation as a function of scan speed

• Approaches to achieving contractual traceability requirements

• Demonstrate Smart Assembly Concept


Common Bipolar Plate Manufacturing Processes and Materials

Processes

Conventional Stamping

Kinetic Stamping

Etching

Compression Molding

Injection Molding

Hydroforming

Materials:

Metallic (Coated)

Carbon Composite


Non-Contact Sensor Evaluation Testbed

High precision translation stage – part mounted on this stage

Low precision translation stage –probe mounted here


Subproject #3 OverviewOptical Scatterfield Metrology for Online Catalyst Coating Inspection of PEM (Fuel Cell) Soft Goods

Approach: Using catalyst coated samples provided by manufacturers with variations in critical parameters (i.e. Pt loading, porosity, particle size, defects) characterized using standard industry methods (XRF, SEM); evaluate the Optical Scatterfield Metrology Tool’s sensitivity to these parameters.

Parameter #1: Catalyst Loading (mg/cm2)

If successful, then:

• CCMs from various manufuacturers

• GDEs from various manufacturers and on both woven cloth and paper.

• CCMs where platinum is in the presence of other metallic alloys.

• Future parameters: Work in progress!

• NIST/NREL Collaboration

• Relationships with CCM & GDE manufacturers.


Interrelationship Between NIST/NREL Collaboration and OSM Project

Reference Metrology

NIST/NREL

Collaboration

OSM Project

Reference Metrology

NIST/NREL

Collaboration

OSM Project

Proposed NREL-NIST collaboration on fuel cell MEA manufacturing R&D Recognizing the need to develop manufacturing methods concurrent with technology at this stage in the maturation of the fuel cells market, the DOE Fuel Cell Technologies Program’s Multi-year Program Plan documents the risks and barriers to the transition to high volume manufacturing. One of the barriers identified is in-line quality control for MEAs and components. NREL and NIST have been supporting DOE and industry with efforts to address this need. NREL is evaluating and developing in-line diagnostics for MEA component materials, with current focus areas of 2D membrane thickness measurement and defect identification and catalyst uniformity. NREL is also studying the effects that as-manufactured defects in component materials have on the performance and durability of MEAs. NIST is studying bipolar plate flow field channel dimensional manufacturing variability and the associated effects on PEM fuel cell performance while concurrently evaluating the accuracy and establishing traceability methodology for potential in-line high-speed high-density dimensional inspection technologies. NIST is also evaluating the suitability of a novel optical scatterfield microscopy tool as an in-line diagnostic for catalyst coated membrane (CCM) inspection (currently focused on the measurement of platinum loading). The capabilities of NREL and NIST to support the manufacturing initiative are very complementary, including reference metrology, analytical characterization, materials fabrication, ex-situ and in-situ fuel cell testing, and continuous processing of web materials for in-line device validation (soon). Given this synergy, and to most effectively support our industry partners, NREL and NIST propose – with DOE support – to initiate a more formal collaboration. Our industry partners and DOE will benefit by closer communication and integration of project activities between the two organizations, taking advantage of the complementary capabilities, and maximizing the effectiveness of DOE support. As an example, we envision the following work breakdown:

Phase Task Lead Asst.Definition Phase

Verify/update prioritized defect list NIST/NRELSelect defect for work NIST/NRELSelect development lead (DL) NIST/NRELSelect reference metrology NIST NRELDetermine collaborators (industry, academia) NIST/NREL

Initial Development PhaseSensor/detector development/evaluation DLPrep required MEA samples NIST/NRELPerform reference metrology on samples NISTDevelop effects of defects test methodology NREL

Review with collaborators NIST/NREL

System Development and Validation PhaseSystem development/evaluation DLDetermine system specs (from defects testing) NREL NISTPerform End of Test/Life reference metrology NISTPerform approriate modeling NREL (LBNL)Technology transfer plan DLIn-line validation NREL

Review with collaborators NIST/NREL NREL and NIST will continue to have separate non-disclosure agreements with our industry partners. However, to enable this collaboration, we ask that our partners accept separate agreements with both organizations. We are developing a section of common language for these agreements so that, though separate, each agreement describes the intents of the collaboration, in terms of information and materials sharing between NREL and NIST.


Examples of ResultsNIST/NREL Collaboration

NREL Defect Study

NIST Helios Dual-Beam FIB SEM Generated 100 um Diameter Hole Defect in Membrane Material with Gallium Rastered Surface for Gallium Contamination Testing

OSM Project – Tool Sensitivity to Pt Loading

150X, snap-snap-snap 150X, 3 locations avg

Experimental data acquired on a fully custom scatterfield microscope platform. This instrument uses tailored illumination designed to optimize scanned illumination at the conjugate back focal plane.


More InformationPrecision Engineering 2009 Program Technical Accomplishments, pp 42-45, 2010http://www.nist.gov/mel/ped/index.cfm

Past DOE Project Reports Related to “Metrology for Fuel Cell Manufacturing”http://www.hydrogen.energy.gov/pdfs/progress08/vi_3_stanfield.pdf

For all NIST Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Activities:www.nist.gov/hydrogen

Multi-Year Research, Development and Demonstration Plan: Planned Program Activities for 2005-2015 (Manufacturing Section 3.5)(2009)http://www1.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcells/mypp/pdfs/manufacturing.pdf

Manufacturing the Future: Federal Priorities for Manufacturing R&D,http://www.manufacturing.gov/pdf/NSTCIWGMFGRD_March2008_Report.pdf

metrology for fuel cell manufacturing eric stanfield mel fuel cell project manager

Documents

fuel cell manufacturing

manufacturing rd

metrology fo

subproject slide

fuel cells sections

reference metrology

anticipated slide

fy11 doe